peters



4 Sheets Sheet 1.

w. H. ORR.

Thrashing Machine.

Patented July 13, 1858.

N. PEYERs. Pholo-Ulhcgnphar. wamin wn. D. c.

. '4 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. H; ORR. I

Thras hing Machine. N 20,923. Patented July 13, I858.

InVenZa? W. H. ORR. 4 Shegts-Sheet 3.

Thrashing Machine. I No. 20,923. Patented July 13, 1858.

N. PETERS. Photo-Lllhogmphun Washington, D. c.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

W.-H.' ORR.

Thrashing Machine.

' Patented July 13 .1858.

vzrzns. Fhawlllhogmpher. Washmglom u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W. H. ORR OF MARTINS FERRY, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO \VM. M. GRIFFITHS & 00., OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING GRAIN.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 20,923, dated July 13, 1858 Reissued November To all whom z't may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM H. ORR, of Martins Ferry, in the county of Belmont and State of Ohio, have invented an Im- .provement in Machinery used for Threshing forming a part of this specification, like letters referring to like parts.

Figure 4 is a side elevation. Fig. 5 is a perspective section. Fig. 3 is an end elevation. Figs. 1 and 2 represent an arrangement of certain parts hereafter described differing slightly from Figs. 4 and 5.

In this, as in many other machines used for a like purpose, the threshing is effected by passing the unthreshed grain beneath a cylinder furnished with teeth or spikes, and which is made to revolve above a fixed concave in which teeth or spikes are alsoinserted. After leaving the threshing cylinder,by the force communicated thereby, the straw and threshed grain are thrown up the inclined chute C, the greater portion of the grain on arriving at a, by its gravity, being precipitated down the chute D, whence it falls upon the system of riddles, screens, etc., in the laterally vibrating shoe G, and is subjected to the action of the blast from the fan F. The straw after arriving at the top of the chute C is thrown upon the endless carrier E by the agency of which it is carried off to the place of discharge L.

The carrier E is constructed of straps or cords f, f placed at suitable distances apart and traveling in grooves in the revolving rollers H and Q; or the cords of the carrier E, instead of passing over the roller H, may be. made to pass over an independent roller or pulley (Figs. 12) in which case, the straps or cords of the carrier E, are pro vided with slats or bars 6 Z), (Figs. 1-2) placed at suitable distances apart, and at right angles to the direction of said straps or cords, the spaces between the cords f f in the former arrangement, and bet-ween the cords f f and slats b b in the latter arrangement, allowing the grain remaining in the straw, on its way to the place of discharge L, to fall upon the inclined return bottom M, whence it is discharged upon the shoe G. This grain, together with that previously separated from the straw at a falling upon the laterally vibrating shoe G, at or near the point 0, is subjected to the action of the blast from the fan F, the greater portion of the grain, by the assistance derived from the vibrating motion of the shoe, passing through the perforations or meshes in the riddle N, and falling upon the screen at upon which the clean grain is carried into the discharge spout I'the smaller heavy impurities oassing through the meshes in said screen, and being carried on the inclined bottom of the shoe G into the tailing spout J, the chaff and other light foreign matter, in the mean time, by the blast from the fan F being blown off at the surface of the riddle N in the direction of P. As the blast from the fan F acts with greater intensity at that part of the shoe G placed in immediate contact than at other points farther removed therefrom, a portion of the grain, according to its gravity, is carried along with the chaff, and deposited at various points on the surface of the riddle. Hence, in order to effect perfect separation, a considerable length of riddle is required.

In machines heretofore constructed, in order to effect perfect separation, and to prevent a port-ion of the grain from being blown over with the chaff and lost, it has been the practice to extend the riddle N somewhat beyond the point at which the blast acts with a force sufficientto blow off all the chaff, and other light substances. Under this arrangement the apertures near the tail of the riddle N have a tendency to become choked which prevents the grain carried to that point from passing into the shoe G, and causes an accumulation of chaff and other foreign matter, together with a portion of the grain near the tail of the riddle N. This difficulty in machines heretofore constructed has been generally obviated byan attendant stirring the chaff which accumulates near the tail of the shoe G with a stick, by which means the apertures in the riddle near the tail of the shoe are kept open, the remaining grain, under the circumstances, readily passing through said apertures, while in consequence of being thus agitated and divided the chaff is blown off the tail of the riddle at P by the slight remaining blast which escapes through said apertures.

My improvement in this machine consists in performing the labor heretofore done by an attendant, by means of the auxiliary shaft K. The improvement consists in placing a revolving shaft or roller K, furnished with any suitable number of straight or curved fingers or projections 0, 0, 0, immediately above the riddle N in the shoe G, said shaft or roller deriving its required motion from any convenient point, and being placed at or near the tail of the shoe, or at such point as in consequence of the blast from the fan failing to blow off the chaff and other foreign matter, the apertures in the riddle become choked, causing an accumulation of chaff etc., and preventing the grain from passing through the apertures in said riddle.

The feed board 0, threshing cylinder A, fan F, return bottom M, riddle N, screen cl, and other parts used in threshing and cleaning the grain, aswell as the various modes of communicating the required motions to the several appurtenances above mentioned do not require to be particularly described, as they admit of a variety of modifications, and may be constructed and applied, in any of the ways now practiced.

I am aware that in VVhitmans and other machines used for cleaning grain, rollers or cylinders provided with spikes, placed over vibrating sieves or riddles, and between the threshing cylinder A and endless belt of slats E employed for carrying off the straw, have been used for the purpose of beating the straw in order to separate the grain more effectually from the straw at the instant it leaves the threshing cylinder, at H., and also that the said roller of shaft has been employed to remove the greater portion of the chaff and other foreign matter from the sieve or riddle by throwing it up and carrying it off along with the straw on the endless carrier E. This roller or shaft H, when so placed and used for the purpose of separating the remaining grain from the straw by beating it after it leaves the threshing cylinder I do not claim; neither do I claim said roller or shaft, when used for removing the greater portion of the chaff and other foreign matter from the riddle by throwing up and carrying it off along with the straw on the endless carrier E.

My invention consists in the revolving shaft or roller K, furnished with any suitable number of straight or curved fingers 0r projections 0, 0, 0, working immediately above the riddle N, said roller or shaft, deriving its required motion from any convenient point, and being placed at or near the tail of the shoe where in consequence of the blast from the fan F failing to blow ofi the chaff, the apertures become choked, preventing the grain from passing into the shoe, and causing an accumulation of chafi' and other substances at the tail of the riddle, which obstruction in machines heretofore constructed, in general, has been obviated by an attendant stirring and removing the chaff with a stick. This work I perform by means of the shaft K, the continuous circular motion of said shaft K being combined with the laterally vibrating motion of the shoe G for the purpose of so dividing and agitating the chaff and other foreign matter (at that point of the riddle, where the blast from the fan F becomes so nearly exhausted that the apertures in the riddle become choked) that the apertures are kept open, the remaining grain passing freely through the riddle into the shoe, while the chaff, and other foreign matter, being kept in motion by this shaft, is blown'oif at the tail of the riddle N by the slight remaining blast which escapes through these apertures.

Having thus fully described the nature of my improvement in machinery for threshing and cleaning grain and shown the operation thereof, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is The application of the auxiliary shaft K constructed in the manner, and employed for the purpose, above described and set forth.

W. H. ORR. Witnesses:

H. CAPEHART, W. W. BERRY.

[Fmsr PRINTED 1911.] 

